Conway Riverwalk and Historic Downtown

Conway is the Grand Strand's inland counterweight, a river town about 15 miles west of Myrtle Beach where the pace slows, the shade deepens and the water turns from Atlantic blue to tea-dark. Founded in 1732, it is one of the oldest towns in South Carolina and the seat of Horry County, and its centerpiece for visitors is the Conway Riverwalk, a mile-long promenade along the Waccamaw River with a park, a playground, a marina, public art and historic markers. The Waccamaw is a blackwater river, stained dark by tannins from the cypress swamps upstream, and from the boardwalk you look into cypress knees and moss-hung trees that feel a world away from Ocean Boulevard. The city was named South Carolina's first River Trail Town in 2023 and recently opened an expansion that links the Riverwalk more closely to downtown. Up the hill, the historic downtown is lined with centuries-old live oaks protected by a city tree ordinance, and many of its homes are more than a century old. The streets hold independent shops such as Black Water Market and Papa's General Store, and good small restaurants including The Trestle Bakery and Cafe, the Pickled Cucumber for a Southern meat-and-three, and Rivertown Bistro, with Bonfire Taqueria right on the Riverwalk. The Theatre of the Republic stages community productions in the old Main Street theater, the Horry County Museum fills the 1905 Burroughs School, and the L.W. Paul Living History Farm sits just north of downtown. Walking the Riverwalk and downtown is free.

On the water: the best way to feel the Waccamaw is from a kayak. Outfitters such as Black River Outdoors run guided paddles on the dark, cypress-lined waters, where herons, turtles and the occasional alligator are part of the scenery; it is a gentle, unforgettable half day for beginners and a complete change from the beach. From the Riverwalk itself, early morning and late afternoon bring the best light on the river and the quietest walks.

The town calendar: Conway Riverfest is held the weekend before the Fourth of July, a summer farmers market runs downtown, October becomes "Halloween, S.C." with a month of festivities, and A Rivertown Christmas brings holiday decorations and a parade in December. In November the downtown is calm, the trees are turning and restaurant tables are easy to find, which makes it an excellent off-season half day.

Pairing: combine a morning paddle or Riverwalk stroll with lunch downtown and the Horry County Museum in the 1905 Burroughs School, which includes an aquarium of local river and lake life. The drive from Myrtle Beach on US-501 takes about 25 minutes, so Conway also works as a rainy-afternoon escape or a stop on the way to or from the beach.